Improvement in wind-powers



whole arrangement is built.

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.,

MIOHAEL'DEPU'E, OF MATIOON, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN WIND-POWERS.

To all whom it 'may concern:

Be it known that I, MICHAEL DEPUE, of Mattoon, of the county of Coles and State of Illinois, have inventedv a new Wind-Power, and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference bein ghad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

Figure l of the annexed drawings represents a side elevation of the improved wind-power. Fig. 2 is a horizontal transverse section of the same. Fig. 3 is avertical section through the axis of the machine.

This invention consists in inclosin g the fanwheel upon which the wind acts withina revolving drum, a portion of the circumference of which is left entirely open, another portion of the same is permanently closed, and still another portionthat through which the Wind is admitted to the inner wheel-is provided with a canvas door, which can be wholly closed or left partially or Wholly open. The drum Whiohencompasses thefan-wheelissurmounted by a vane which is so arranged as to turn the drinn around and present that portion of its periphery which. has the canvasdoor and permanently-closed side to the Windward. The canvas door may then be opened more or less, according to the strength of the breeze which is blowing, and the wind will strike the fans of the inner wheel and cause it to revolve, and finally pass out of the opposite side of the drum, through that, portion of its periphery which is left permanently open. A portion of the periphery of the drum is left permanently closed, so as to protect the fans of the inner wheel from coming in contact with the wind during that part of their revolution in which they are advancing toward the wind.

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use my wind-power, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A represents a platform, upon which the B is a frame which supports the bottom head, C, ofthe drum, the upper end of the shaft D, and the upper head, E, of the drum. The shaft D, besides the fan-wheel F, carries the counter-pulley G, from which power may be transmitted to any Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 55,250, dated June 5, 1866.

machine where work is to be done by the windpower.

The upper head, E, of the drum may be made entirely closed up, or it may be simply a rim of a wheel with a large opening inl the center, over which a single beam is thrown to give support to the center gudgeon, w, upon which it rests and around which it revolves.

There will be aciroular rim, H, the exteriorv diameter of which will be the same as the diameter of the head E, placed just above the lower head, G, around the periphery of which there will be a track, r, on which the wheels or sheaves a will run. The sheaves a will be attached to the rim H, and will support the whole weight of the drum. The riln H will be attached to the head E by means of the iron rods b and the material of the permanentlyclosed side I, which will form about threeeighths of the periphery' of the drum, more or less.

lhe canvas door K will slide up and dow-n on the rods b, to which it will be fastened by means of loops. When closed it will cover aboutone-quarter of the periphery' of the drum. The door is made to slide down by means of weights attached to its upper edge, and. it is closed up again by pulling the cord c, which is fastened to several points along the upper edge, and passes thence up over several hooks or wheels fastened to the edge of the headE, and

thence down in some location convenient to ened to the rim H. It may be opened more or less, as may be required, according to the strength of the breeze blowing.

The vane L is erected on top of the head E, and is so arranged as to turn that side of the drum to which the canvas dooris fastened toward the wind. rIhe door K being open, the wind will strike the fan-wheel F and cause it to revolve, and the vane will always hold the door side of the drum to the wind. The closed side I of the drum will prevent the wind from striking against the fan-wheel while the fans on said Wheel are performing that part of their revolution in which they are advancing toward the wind.v

It is the intention to apply this wind-power to the propulsion of sailing-vesse1s, lanci con- The combination and arrangement Of' the veyanoes, and stationary machinery, to all of sliding canvas door K with the'drum G I B, which purposes it; can be readily adapted substantially as and for the purpose set forth. without any material changes in its form of MICHAEL DEPUE.

construct-ion. Witnesses Having thus described my invention, what W. M. SCOTT, I claim is- R. V. REED.

A AJ 

